President Uhuru wades into Sonko-Badi war

President Uhuru Kenyatta has finally broken his silence over the seething row between Nairobi Governor Mike Sonko and the Nairobi Metropolitan Services Director-General Mohamed Badi.

The President who seemed angered by the continuous open differences between General Badi and Governor Sonko, asked the two to bury the hatchet and focus on working for the Nairobi residents.

“We agreed that we want to help each other and put politics aside. Our duty as leaders is not to insult each other or speak ill of one another. Let us serve the people first,” said President Uhuru.

The President also continued to enumerate the task ahead of the Nairobi County and the Nairobi Metropolitan Services (NMS), urging them to put their eyes on the ball.

“It is sad that our people in the city do not have water, food, infrastructure, and other basic amenities. The politics must stop. Let us provide services to the people first,” he added.

The Head of State also took the opportunity to defended General Badi saying he was only doing his job, and would return to the military camp after accomplishing the assignment.

“General Badi is not a politician. I assigned him to head NMS, and once he accomplishes his task at the NMS, he will go back to the military and continue protecting our citizens,” said the President.

The President also said the residents of Nairobi, especially those living in the informal settlements, will start receiving free water services due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

He also put on notice water cartels that are selling water to the residents at exorbitant prices, by taking advantage of the coronavirus crisis.

The President was speaking during the celebration to mark the International Youth Day at KICC, which is an annual event celebrated on August 12.

President Uhuru also issued 2,100 title deeds to Nairobi residents, who had waited for years to have ownership of their parcels of lands in the Capital.

The latest twist comes just a day after the Nairobi County Assembly Speaker Beatrice Elachi called it quits, citing frustrations and a myriad of threats to her life, by the members of the county assembly who were opposed to her leadership.

“For the last few days, there have been life-threatening incidences. I did not have to wait to see somebody die in this office. I’m a mother,” she said on Tuesday morning.

The current turn of events, had thrown the County further into a deeper into a pit of leadership confusion, that warranted a higher intervention.

Since the televised takeover, the embattled Governor Sonko has not been seeing eye to eye with the Military officer who was picked to head key functions taken by the national government.

In his recent pronouncements, Sonko launched tones of attacks on the NMS chief, accusing him of militarizing the city, insubordination, among other issues.

Sonko has also been accusing the National Government of staging an unconstitutional takeover of the capital, in defiance of the provisions on devolution.

Following the conflicts, the Governor through his lawyers had already began the process of retrieving the functions he had signed off.

Among the services which were transferred include, health services, planning and development services, transport, public works, utilities, and ancillary services as the services transferred to the NMS with a 75 per cent of the total county budget.

Since then, many have argued that Sonko has remained a lame duck, and an outsider in his government, with Badi calling the shots.